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Selling 'Jurassic': The Film And Toys

By BERNARD WEINRAUB,

Published: June 14, 1993

HOLLYWOOD, June 13—
Yes, "Jurassic Park" drew record crowds over the weekend. Yes, this Steven Spielberg dinosaur fantasy may be too violent and frightening for most children.

Rarely has the gulf between a studio's merchandising and promotion, which are heavily aimed at children, and a film, which is inappropriate for many youngsters, seemed so evident.

Dr. Carole Lieberman, a Los Angeles psychiatrist who is the chairwoman of the National Coalition on Television Violence, which seeks to curb violence on television and in films and music videos, said in an interview on Friday: "It may be artistically valid to make a movie about violent dinosaurs. But it's hypocritical and greedy of them to target young children via product tie-ins. They are trying to have it both ways."

The film, which cost $60 million to $70 million, is based on Michael Crichton's novel about a millionaire, played by Richard Attenborough, who is inspired by motives of science as well as money to create a vast theme park with real dinosaurs. The dinosaurs soon run amok. Not Cuddly; Definitely Hungry

Although there are several scenes of sweet-natured dinosaurs, most of the monsters are about as benevolent as Hollywood executives and agents. A man is snatched up in a dinosaur's jaws and eaten alive (you hear the crunching), a severed limb appears on screen, two children in the film are repeatedly threatened, a steer is eaten alive (not seen but heard), an innocent goat is fast food for those ever-hungry monsters and a dinosaur pulls a shrieking man into its crate and devours him. The fact that dinosaurs are generally viewed by children as sweet, benign creatures, like Barney on PBS, only heightens fears about the menacing monsters of "Jurassic Park."

The film has received mixed-to-positive reviews. Virtually every critic has praised the special effects. But the story line and characters have plainly been sacrificed for the visuals, the thumping John Williams score and the moments of scariness. The film also stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum.

Officials at MCA Inc., which is owned by the Matsushita Electric Industrial Company and which is the parent company of Universal Studios, insist that the movie's PG-13 rating (Parents strongly cautioned) seeks to advise parents forcefully that some material in the movie may be inappropriate for children. 'The Film Is Scary'

Thomas J. Pollock, the chairman of the MCA Motion Picture Group, said: "The film is scary. PG-13 is the appropriate rating. Very special care should be taken in bringing kids under 13. Parents will have to make the decision."

Marvin Levy, a marketing consultant for Mr. Spielberg's production company, Amblin Entertainment, added: "We know the film is very intense and really designed for older children. We did not advertise on Saturday morning or children's TV. We do not want to imply that this is for young children."

Mr. Spielberg, whose company stands to make millions of dollars from the film's marketing, declined to comment. But he told USA Today last week that his four children under 8 were "ticked off" because they were not allowed to see the film. "It's too intense for them," he said.

But that hasn't stopped the studio and Amblin Entertainment from welcoming more than 100 licensees. And much of the "Jurassic Park" merchandise is specifically aimed at those young children who, the studio says, shouldn't see the film. The "Jurassic Park" spinoffs include toys, plastic lunch boxes, pajamas, pillowcases, sleeping bags, temporary tattoos, cereals, masks, jawbreakers, stopwatches, underwear, walkie-talkies, 3-D books, paint-by-numbers sets, gummy dinosaur candies and sleeping bags.

McDonald's Corporation, whose tie-in with "Batman Returns" last year provoked criticism because of that film's violence, is now promoting "dino size" burgers and drinks aimed at adults. Nonetheless, McDonald's imprimatur on any movie is a virtually automatic lure for children. In Search of a Hit

The movie itself is enormously important for Mr. Spielberg and for Universal. The studio has not had a major hit in several years. And Mr. Spielberg's most recent films -- "The Color Purple," "Empire of the Sun," "Always" and "Hook" -- were critical or financial disappointments, in contrast with such huge early successes as "Jaws," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial."

Dr. Sandra Kaplan, a former chairwoman of the American Psychiatric Association's Committee on Family Violence and Sexual Abuse, said: "Many children between 10 and 13 will be able to handle this movie. But if children are fearful, they shouldn't go. And if children do go, parents should debrief them afterward to minimize fears. But it's a mistake, it's wrong and inappropriate, to market this to anyone under 10."

"Exposing children to violent films stimulates them to imitate aggression and also frightens them, makes them anxious and fearful," she said. "To see this film, kids have got to be at an age where they can handle the difference between reality and fantasy." Nightmares, fearfulness and clinging to parents are some manifestations of seeing violent films, she said.